Tuesday, November 19, 2013

We have recently hand built a 1969 Topps Baseball Complete Master Set. This set consists of 702 cards, whereas the complete set has 664 Cards. There are 38 variation cards in the master set. This set also contains the last card for Mickey Mantle during his playing days.

This particular set features multiple rookie and star cards. When this set was first introduced it was issued in 7 series. These cards were sold in wax packs, rack packs and cello packs.

The Fronts of these cards are surrounded by a white boarder. The front has the players name and position written in a circle that is placed on the upper right hand side. The pink backs are laid out horizontally and feature a biography, stats and a cartoon pictured.

The most famous and toughest variations to find in this set are the White Variations. For it to be a white variation the first and last name must both be in white lettering. In the non-master set you will find the last name on the card to be in yellow. It is said that these variations were made due to an ink problem during the printing process.

The variation cards that are the hardest to find are the most famous. These cards are #440 Willie McCovey, #440 Gaylord Perry and #500 Mickey Mantle. The Mickey Mantle card is the most expensive variation card in the series.

Since the Variation cards are so hard to find, it is very hard to build a Master Set. With our inventory of over 1 million cards we were able to put together a Near Mint Plus (7.5) Set. This is a one of a kind set that you are not going to find anywhere else.

If you have any questions about this set, or if you are interested in any custom built vintage set please contact us.
Here is a breakdown of this rare set.

Thursday, October 31, 2013

Back By Popular Demand are our Volume Discounts for customer orders. You have spoken and we have listened. Stop on by our website to see how low our prices have gone. Here is a summary of how our discounts work.

The Primary Mission Statement of Dean’s Cards, or our purpose for being, is to “make vintage card collecting fast, easy and fun”. Two of the many things we do to enable this is to “offer conservatively graded vintage cards at competitive prices”. Another goal that we have is“to strive to stock at least one of every vintage card online, in each of the popular grades in stock”.

The Dean’s Cards Surplus Inventory Discount, often referred to simply as “Inventory Discounts”, help us to achieve each of these objectives.

Inventory Discounts

The idea of the Dean’s Cards Inventory Discounts is simple. Dean’s Cards has over a million cards online. We buy and sell thousands of vintage cards each week. The as the quantity of an “item” (a card, in a particular grade) in the Dean’s Cards Inventory increases, it triggers a higher Inventory Discount and lowers the net price of the item by 10%.

When Dean’s Cards decreases or sells out of a certain item, the Net Price of that item increases. The higher price is then reflected in our Dean’s Cards Bid Software, which allows us to bid more aggressively and replace the items with low quantities. We strive to be your “one stop shop” for vintage cards.

The Inventory Discount applies only to the cards from before 1981. It also applies to all magazines.

Volume Discounts on Customer Orders

As the dollar amount or volume of your order increases, so does the percentage of your volume discount. Volume Discounts begin at $50 and top out at 20% when the invoice amount (net total after Inventory Discounts are applied) reach $1000. Volume Discounts are based off the Total Net Price of the items in an Order, before tax or shipping charges.

Getting Dean’s Best Price

With these two discounts, you can rest assured that you are getting our best prices. You also get the benefit of knowing that we do not give any other discounts, to anyone, on any product - under any circumstance. Dean’s Cards was founded in 2001 and we have never made an exception to this policy.

The reason for this policy is simple: Our customers know that they are getting our best price, so they know that they do not have to contact us to negotiate on every order. This is all part of making buying from Dean’s Cards fast,easy and fun. From our perspective, with the amount of business that we do on a daily basis, we would be overwhelmed by the number of inquiries.

Dean Hanley, founder and owner of DeansCards.com,
is considered one of the foremost experts on the subject of vintage
baseball cards, other sports and non-sports cards and has a regular
column in the Sports Collectors Digest and publishes articles on his blog.

Friday, October 25, 2013

In 1952, The Topps Chewing Gum Company issued the largest baseball set of its time. The 1952 Topps set marked a turning point for the Topps Chewing Gum Company and sent the company soaring past their competition. This 1952 Topps set consisted of a whopping 407 cards, beating out the Bowman Baseball set which consisted of 252 cards in total. The 1952 Topps set contains Rookie Cards for some of baseball's greatest players including: Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, and Ed Mathews.

These sets are built to order, and will be constructed to the collector’s precise specifications. We can build most of these sets from inventory, but we may be required to go out and purchase a few cards. The Conditions that we have currently available to custom build are; Excellent/Mint, Excellent and Very Good.

That said, the time to build, the condition, and the price may vary. For more information, please contact us. Our Set Manager Elana, will be happy to help you.

For a better look at this beautiful set, please click here.
DeansCards.com has 1.5 million cards online, and nobody builds or sells more Bowman, Topps, and complete sets than DeansCards.com.

Thursday, October 17, 2013

This baseball card set is a miniature replica of the regular 1975 set that includes 660 small size cards, which measure 2 ¼" by 3 1/8". The subsets for the 1975 Topps Mini baseball cards are the milestone cards (1-7), MVPs (189-212), league leaders (306-313), playoff highlights (459-460), and World Series highlights (461-466).

We have recently built a high grade 1975 Topps Mini Complete Set. It is the highest grade that is currently available. The set grades a Near Mint Plus. (7.5).To take a look at the set please click here. If you are interested in a custom set please go to our Contact Us page. From there, please select that you are interested in a custom set.

This set was only introduced as one complete series. It includes 48 Hall of Famers with no variations. The 1975 Topps Mini Set is one of the most unique sets that Topps ever put out. The design of the cards is what makes this set, as well as the regular set pop out. When aligned in a set box, it looks like a prism of colors. It features two color borders that surround the player. The team name at the top has a 3d effect with its bold lettering. The featured baseball tells you the player's position at the time. The player's facsimile signature is written across the front.

The backs feature the stats of the player as well a comic that has a trivia question. The color scale consist of a red and green solid over a grey.

This is the most pristine 1975 Topps Mini set that we've seen in years. Most of the cards appear to be pack fresh, and none of the cards in this set grade less than Excellent/Mint. Most of the cards in this set grade in the Near Mint to Near Mint/Mint range, and the star cards are a good representation of how the cards in this set appear. To view the star cards please click here.

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

We at Dean’s cards have recently custom built a 1971 Topps Baseball Complete Set, which averages out to be in Near Mint Plus condition. Each and every card for this set was handpicked by our staff. Every single card has been scanned and can be viewed here.

As far as vintage sets go, no other place has more to offer. We at Dean's cards carry a multitude of vintage complete sets, in both baseball and football. Ranging from years 1952-1972. If you do not see a vintage year and condition that you would like, we can build one for you. Our grades are conservative and we offer individual scans of both front and back of our vintage cards.

We have recently decided to build Custom sets for our customers. If you have any questions about them, and would like one, please contact us by selecting "Interested in Custom Set". Our Set Manager will be happy to get back with you.

The 1971 Topps baseball card set features 752 standard size cards, which measure 2½" by 3½". The subsets for the 1971 Topps baseball cards are league leaders (61-72), playoff highlights (195-202), and World Series highlights (327-332). The high number series (644-752) is slightly more expensive to collect.

The 1971 Topps Complete Set was released in 7 different series that were about 4-5 weeks apart. The fronts of the cards feature the players name and the position they played. The back of the card features the statistics as well as a black and white photograph.

The high number series can be pretty tough to come by. When the 7th series was being released, it just so happened to be the beginning of Football Season. Children were starting to buy the football cards, rather than the baseball cards.

306 B

This series contains many stars, hall of famers, rookies and minor star cards. It also included variation cards. The check lists in this series have variations to them. Some will have no copyright date, while others may have the number centered or listed off to the right hand side on the back of the card. Some other cards that feature players may also have a black blotch on the front. This happened to occur
when they were first printed. The cards that were printed at a later date do not have this.

This set is sought out by collectors in a higher graded condition. The black borders and backgrounds tend to pop out at them. They prefer a higher grade because the black is more solid, where on other grades it is chipped or rubbed away. However, it is common for a card of a higher grade to have a slight rub.

The Pete Rose and Thurman Munson cards happen to be two of the hardest star cards to get in a higher grade. We have a PSA 8 Rose, and a raw graded 8 for Munson for this set. Posted below are some stats on this beautiful set. If you are interest in this set, be sure to head on over to our 1970’s set page and take a look.

Purchased separately the cards in this set have a break-up value of $23,884.38, which is a savings of $15,884.39 or 67%.

Friday, August 30, 2013

As a long-time baseball card collector, I know how disappointing it can be to buy a baseball card or baseball card set expecting it to be at a certain grade – and then be disappointed when the actual card or set arrives and it is a far lower grade than you expected.

At Dean’s Cards, we try to eliminate surprises by providing scans of the ACTUAL CARDS we sell throughout our site. The policy I put in place is pretty easy to understand – “What you see is what you get!” The high quality scans show any imperfections on the front and back of each baseball card. All vintage cards in our inventory are sleeved and identified with a serial number so we can make sure we send you the actual card you have reviewed and then purchased online.

Our in-house grading team reviews all cards and follows the same standards as PSA as we custom-build Complete Sets, Near Complete Sets, Starter Sets, and Team Sets by hand. But we go one step further by considering the “eye appeal” of a card into the grade we assign. The video below shows an in-house grading training session to give you a feel for how meticulous our grading process is.

But we also have gone one step further to add value to your baseball card purchases from Dean’s Cards. You can access ACTUAL IMAGES of any vintage card you purchase from Dean’s Cards by scanning the "QR Code" on the sleeve of your baseball card with a smart phone or tablet.

The QR Code is our first step in developing proprietary card collecting software, so you can organize your collections, and view images and vital statistics of the cards in your collection. Our goal is to bring all the advantages of technology to you to help easily share your cards with others and view your cards easily on your smart device.

Bringing Baseball Card Collecting into the 21st Century
Before we introduced QR code tracking, we only had the stock images for the vintage baseball cards listed online, but now each and every vintage baseball card has been professionally graded and is accompanied by a full front and back scan. And for your high end baseball cards, you can use the scans to help insure your collection.

As we continue to add more features to the QR scan technology, we will share the news through our website, this blog, email newsletter, Google+, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Our goal at Dean's Cards is to provide you with a simple, cost effective and enjoyable way to build your collections. We’re excited about the technological advancements we have made for you and look forward to continue adding value to your purchases from Dean’s Cards.

How to View Baseball Card Images on DeansCards.com

As you search for cards on our site, you will see actual images of the cards in our inventory. When you click on the images, you will see enlarged scans of the front and back of each card. This feature allows you to inspect and compare the condition of each card before you make your purchase.

Dean's Cards has made this investment in advanced technology because we want to take the guesswork out of your baseball card purchase. If you have any suggestions on how we can improve our products and our service to you, please contact Dean’s Cards here.

This is easily the finest 1957 Topps Baseball Complete Set that has ever been our pleasure to offer to the public. Most sets of this quality never reach the open market. All of the cards are graded and none of the cards in this set grade below 7 - Near Mint.

Although the set has a weighted average grade of 7.40, many of the cards could actually grade higher. We saw only a couple of cards that could possibly grade lower. Of the 407 cards in the set, 381 were graded by PSA, 10 by SGC, and 16 by GAI. The only star card, that was not graded by PSA is Roy Campanella.

The 1957 Topps set contains 407 cards, each measuring 2 ½" by 3 ½" -- and 1957 was the first year for this measurement which is what we know today as the standard card size. The front of the card features a large vertical color photo of the player, with the player's name, team and position at the bottom of the card. The back of each card features the player's biographical information and statistical history.

The 1957 set includes the first star combination cards featuring major players from the 1956 World Series - #400 Dodgers Sluggers and #407 Yankees' Power Hitters. Due to an extremely expensive 4th series (265-352) a complete 1957 Topps baseball set is difficult to find in any condition.

The video featured on this page shows an in-house training session led by Elana Winget, our purchasing manager, and our grading czar -- or actually our czarina. Elana grades our complete vintage sets, and we believe they are the best offered in the hobby, thanks to her vintage baseball card grading expertise.

At Dean's Cards, we constantly strive to make card collecting fun and simple. One of the reasons we wanted to share this grading video is to take the mystery out of a process that can often be confusing for collectors.

If you want a baseball card set loaded with Hall of Fame players, the 1957 Topps baseball card set would be a great choice for you. Topps packed the 1st series with a lot of star power, as the set contains seven Hall of Famers in the first 20 cards and 23 HOFers in the first 100 cards.

The 1957 Topps Baseball Card set remains a favorite among collectors for its full card front color photographs and its use of the vintage ballparks as backdrops for the photos. Critics often complain that the photos have a greenish tint, but I personally think that this adds to the charm of the set.

The 1957 Topps set also includes one of the coolest cards ever produced and one that remains extremely popular for collectors: #165 Ted Kluszewski. Big Klu felt his arms were restrained by the undershirt in the Reds’ tunic uniform top so he refused to wear it – and his card shows his unique look in its full glory.

The 1957 Topps set is also well known for the reverse negative of the #20 Hank Aaron card, showing Aaron as a left-handed hitter, a mistake which was never corrected by Topps.

Beginning with the 1957 Topps Baseball Card set, the size of the card was reduced to the standard that we are still using today. With 407 cards, the 1957 Topps Baseball Card set was the largest set that Topps produced up until that time. That said, that number would be bested the following year and again in 1959.

Still No Stan the Man

Even with all the star cards in the 1957 Topps baseball card set, there is still no Stan Musial card in the set. Stan the Man had a $100,000 annual salary, and he felt that he was worth more than the $125 that Topps paid each of the players. Stan would finally consent to having his images put back on cards in 1958.

Dean’s Cards builds hundreds of vintage sets each year, and the 1957 Topps Baseball Card set is definitely one of the tougher sets to assemble. Not only does the 1957 Topps set have eight great rookie cards, but also the 4th series is so scarce that it is tough to complete – especially in higher conditions.

Checklists and Contest Cards Nearly Impossible to Find
Topps also inserted four contest cards, an ad card and four contest cards into its 1957 baseball card set. The checklist cards are nearly impossible to find in nice condition, as many were either marked up or discarded by kids. Due to the cost of the checklists and ad cards, most collectors consider the set complete without any of these special cards
.--> Click here to buy 1957 Topps Baseball Cards

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Since I began Dean's Cards in 2001, my goal has always been to provide fellow collectors with a simple, cost effective and enjoyable way to build their collections. That’s why I’m proud to introduce a new advanced website search feature that will make it even easier for you to find the cards you need for your collection.

We are now completing a project to assign “Specialty Codes” to our inventory of more than 1.5 million cards. So you can now go to the Search Box on the top of every page of our site and search for specific types of cards for all sports by their Specialty Code. (Please note that the Specialty Code project is ongoing so you may see some cards that have not been coded yet.)

For example, let’s say you wanted to find Hank Aaron’s rookie card. You would just enter “Hank Aaron RK” in the search box and click search, as you see here:

You would then get the following result showing all of his rookie cards available in our inventory:

Then you just click on Hank Aaron’s name to see scans of the actual cards so you can choose the card in condition and price range you want, as you see here:

Here is an example of a Multi-Player (MP) card and how we would code the card internally:

And here is an example of a World Series (WS) card and how we coded the card internally:

As you can see, you can not only search by the Specialty Code, but also by the actual title of the card and the name of the players on each card. And thanks to the custom programming of our site by our in-house development team, you will instantly see the results of your search displayed on your screen – and all of these features are compatible with the latest mobile devices, as well.

As you search for cards on our site, you will see actual images of the cards in our inventory. When you click on the images, you will see enlarged scans of the front and back of each card. This feature allows you to inspect and compare the condition of each card before you make your purchase.

Dean's Cards has made this continual investment in advanced technology because we want to take the guesswork out of your purchase. When you buy a vintage card from Dean's Cards, "What you see is what you get!"

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

The bright and colorful 1967 Topps baseball card set is a favorite of Dean’s Cards collectors. The cards are pure – there are no distracting designs, and that serves to emphasize the beautiful photographs throughout the set.

High Number Series Tough to Collect
The 1967 Topps set is one of the most difficult to complete due to the high number seventh series, which consists of cards #534-609. The high number series was not released in all parts of the country, was short printed, and was released at a time when the football season was just starting. These three factors make it very difficult to find any seventh series cards.

Something for All Collectors
When you combine the simple, beautiful design, the high quality photographs, the great rookie cards, and the challenge of collecting the seventh series, the 1967 Topps baseball card set really does offer something unique feature for every type of baseball card collector.

Since I began Dean’s Cards from my basement in 2001, our goal has been to surpass customer expectations in the quality of cards they receive from us and also to deliver personal customer service. We understand that baseball card collecting is a very personal hobby and each customer has different collecting needs. That’s why we developed a website that shows you actual images of the cards you buy to eliminate any surprises -- and it’s why we have grown to a staff of 14 people and 5,000 sq. ft. of office space to meet the growing service needs of collectors.

I am often humbled by the positive testimonials we receive from customers. If you are considering buying baseball cards or selling baseball cards, I encourage you to read our testimonials. Since I am a fellow collector, my goal was to create a store where I would love to shop and that also had the best selection of cards available anywhere.

Dean's Cards works hard to earn the trust and respect of every customer. When it comes to buying vintage sports cards and magazines, I know that condition is critical. We would much rather "under grade" a card than "over grade" it. For that reason, we tend to grade the cards we sell more conservatively than most. Still, I also understand that judging a card's condition can sometimes be subjective, which is why we offer a 100% Money Back Satisfaction Guarantee on all purchases.

Buy all your cards from one source. There are sites that allow hundreds of dealers to list the cards that they have to sell. The problem is that if you need to purchase 50 cards, you will probably be getting cards from three dozen different dealers with varying grading standards. You also have to pay three dozen different shipping charges. When buying from us you get consistent grading, one shipping charge, and a great customer service team.

Scans of the actual cards you buy. When you search our website, you can see scans of the actual cards you buy. And you can compare the condition of cards in different grades to make a wise choice.

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Some collectors are understandably concerned about sending their baseball card collections to get a bid from us. But a recent experience from a collector in San Francisco, California will show you how easy the process is.

Part of the collection of star cards and Hall of Fsmers recently sold to Dean's Cards.

This collector did a Google search to find companies that would buy his star baseball cards that went back to the 1950s through the 1980s. He had virtually every baseball card star and Hall of Famer from this era in a rather large collection. He had never done business with Dean's Cards before this.

He completed the form on the sell your baseball cards page, we responded, and he sent us his cards to evaluate. We gave him our generous bid and he accepted it. We then sent the check the next day. So in a matter of days the transaction was complete.